In South Texas, near San Antonio, a region known as the Winter Garden produces food crops year-round. Since the advent of irrigation, the short grasses and mesquite trees have given way to vegetable production. The first crops were Bermuda onions, spinach, beets and strawberries. Increased irrigation costs that came about during the Great Depression resulted … Read more
The rise of an herbicide-resistant weed Pigweed, Amaranthus, is a broad-leaf annual that is fast becoming a major problem for vegetable and fruit growers. The plant is reproduced by seeds—in fact, thousands and thousands of seeds—and it appears in all zones of the United States. Identified as an erect annual herb, the weed is branched above, rough … Read more
Every year orchards are purchased or planted by people who have no experience in growing apples. For some, an orchard will be a challenge and a source of personal satisfaction and profit. For others, it may be a source of frustration and a bad investment. It’s important to become familiar with the business of producing … Read more
Growing robust squash not only provides a bountiful harvest but helps grow a large enough canopy to overshadow pesky weeds. Jonathan Schultheis, a North Carolina State University Extension specialist, indicated that weed plants such as pigweed, lambsquarter, cocklebur and ragweed can invade squash plants if these weeds’ growth is too great. Control Schultheis suggested growers … Read more
An unmistakable sight of summer is the oval-shaped Athena melon with its yellow-orange flesh and coarse netting skin. Millions of the melons are successfully grown each year at Spring Hill Produce, a division of Lewis Taylor Farms in Tifton, Georgia, and one of the largest privately owned vegetable and greenhouse operations in the Southeast. On … Read more